So, your website is sitting comfortably on page one of Google.

You’ve done the hard yards, ticked all the SEO boxes, and your ranking is looking as pretty as a flathead fillet on a Friday night. And yet… the traffic is slower than a tinny with a half-flat battery. If you’ve ever wondered why your shiny, well-ranked website isn’t reeling in the hordes, here’s the truth: the search engine isn’t the whole ocean. It’s just one fishing spot. And sometimes, the fish are biting somewhere else.

This is where social media comes in – the bait, the burley, the flashy lure that gets even the fussiest snapper to turn its head.

Facebook – The Easy Bait

Think of Facebook as the old reliable bait you chuck in the water when nothing else is working. It’s the pilchard of the digital world. Not glamorous, but it gets the job done.

Your potential clients are scrolling Facebook while waiting for coffee, pretending to work, or trying to avoid eye contact in the doctor’s waiting room. They’re relaxed, distracted, and primed to nibble.

Post regularly. Share your latest offers, quick tips, behind-the-scenes updates – anything that gets a bite. Include a link back to your website every time. That link is your hook. The post is just the shiny thing that gets them swimming your way.

And don’t be shy about boosting posts. For the price of a servo pie, Facebook will drop your bait right in front of people who would never have found you through Google alone.

Instagram – The Shiny Lure

If Facebook is pilchard, Instagram is the soft plastic lure with the glittery tail. It’s colourful, it’s eye-catching, and it needs to look good to work.

Your audience on Instagram is a bit like coral trout – they go for the pretty things. So give them something worth biting. High-quality photos of your work, graphics, short videos, stories – make it slick, make it sharp, make it irresistible.

But here’s the trick: don’t let Instagram become a dead-end. Every pretty picture should point back to your website. Add the link to your bio, use stickers in Stories, and tell people outright – “Want more? Hit the website.” You’re not just showing off your lure; you’re guiding them straight into the esky.

LinkedIn – The Big-Game Rod

LinkedIn is where you gear up for the bigger fish. The serious ones. The kind that read business articles for fun and use words like “leverage” without irony.

This platform isn’t about glossy photos – it’s about authority. Expertise. You showing the world that you know your stuff better than a barra knows how to dodge a hook.

Write posts about your industry. Share your wins. Explain things your clients don’t understand yet. Comment on other people’s posts like a calm, confident pro. Every action tells people you’re the person they should trust.

And once again, steer them back to your website. LinkedIn users don’t bite quickly, but when they do, they’re often the fattest fish in the river.

Social Media Isn’t Optional – It’s the Burley Trail

Many business owners say, “But I already have good Google rankings.” Yes, fantastic. But ranking alone won’t fill the boat. People won’t always search for what you do. Sometimes they need a nudge, a reminder, a shiny thing drifting past their nose.

Social media is how you scatter that burley trail across the water. It keeps your brand visible. It nudges people back to your website. And, best of all, it works even when you’re not posting SEO-friendly paragraphs about meta descriptions and schema markup.

Think of your website as the landing net. It’s where the catch ends up. But social media – that’s the bait, the lures, and the scent trail that gets them close enough to scoop.

Time to Reel Them In

If your website isn’t getting the traffic it deserves, stop treating social media like an optional extra. It’s not. It’s part of the fishing kit.

Treat each platform like a different lure, throw your line often, keep the bait fresh, and always – ALWAYS – point everything back to your website.

Do that, and you won’t just get nibbles. You’ll be hauling in clients like it’s peak barra season.

A lot of people come to me excited about launching a new website, and that’s great — a website is one of the best tools a small business can have.

But one thing I always remind new site owners is this: a website isn’t a “set and forget” job. It needs attention, updates, and a bit of ongoing care if you want it to work for your business rather than just sit there.

Think of it like a shopfront. If you opened a physical shop, you wouldn’t unlock it on day one and then never check it again. You’d tidy it, refresh it, update your products, change your signage, and sweep the front step every now and then. Your website deserves the same kind of regular effort.

The good news? It doesn’t need to take hours out of your week. With small, consistent actions, you can keep your site looking sharp, performing well, and actually helping you bring in customers.

Simple Ways to Keep Your Website Working for You

Here are a few things every business owner can do:

Update your content regularly

Add new photos, refresh product descriptions, update your services, and keep your opening hours current. Fresh, accurate content builds trust and tells Google your site is alive.

Check your contact points

Make sure your forms work, your phone number is correct, your inbox isn’t full, and your social links still go where they should.

Keep an eye on your reviews

Google Business Profile reviews can influence someone’s decision before they even visit your website. Responding to them shows you’re active and paying attention.

Look at your site on your phone

Most visitors come from mobile. A quick monthly check helps you catch issues like overlapping text, slow loading, or broken layouts.

Share your website

Your website shouldn’t do all the work alone. Link to it in social posts, emails, newsletters, business cards, signage, and anywhere else people interact with your brand.

Ask for help when needed

If something looks odd, breaks, or doesn’t feel right, reach out. A quick check from your web developer can prevent a bigger problem later.

A good website is a partnership. I can build the foundation, the structure, and all the behind-the-scenes systems, but your involvement keeps it relevant and genuine.

With a little regular attention, your website will stay fresh, functional, and ready to work just as hard as you do.

There are many questions in life that make you stop and think.

“Does pineapple belong on pizza?”, “Why does the dog bark at absolutely nothing at 3am?” and “Why do people think that daylight saving gives them more daylight?” But none of them – not one – comes close to the raw, world-saving power of the greatest question any human has ever asked:

“Have you tried turning it off and on again?”

This one sentence has solved more problems than any government agency, guidance counsellor, or motivational quote slapped onto a sandy beach background. Honestly, if we carved it into a monument and stuck it next to the pyramids, future archaeologists would nod politely and say, “Yeah, fair enough.”

So why does it work? Why does this magical phrase fix everything from a misbehaving laptop to a phone that has clearly been possessed by the devil?

Let’s break it down.

First, computers – like humans – get overwhelmed. They have too many things open at once, they’re running processes you didn’t ask for, and half the time they’re trying to update themselves while you’re in the middle of something important. It’s like dealing with someone who hasn’t slept properly since 2008. A reboot gives them what we refuse to give ourselves: a full system reset and a fresh start. You push the button, it sighs, shuts its eyes and wakes up pretending the last 24 hours never happened.

Second, the “off and on again” manoeuvre is sheer genius because it requires absolutely no technical knowledge whatsoever. You don’t need to open the command prompt. You don’t need to chant an incantation. You certainly don’t need to unplug something from one mysterious port and jam it into another. You simply turn the thing off, wait a moment, turn it on, and suddenly you’ve gone from “helpless victim of modern technology” to “wizard of the digital realm.”

Third, and this is the important bit, it works embarrassingly often. And by “often”, I mean “far more often than it should in a rational universe.” Engineers with advanced degrees built these machines. People who understand physics, electronics and some of the mysteries of the universe crafted them… yet all it takes to defeat them is what is essentially the IT equivalent of a nap.

You could be on the brink of hurling your device into the nearest bin. It won’t print, it won’t load, it won’t behave. You’ve clicked everything. You’ve sworn at it. You’ve stared at it threateningly. And then someone wanders by and asks, with all the calmness of a Tibetan monk, “Have you tried turning it off and on again?”

So you do it.

And it works.

And you quietly curse them under your breath for being right.

But here’s the real secret behind the question’s power. It’s not just about fixing technology. “Off and on again” is a philosophy. A lifestyle. A way of dealing with everything that’s teetering on the edge of total chaos. Having a bad day? Try a Restart. Too many tabs open in your brain? Restart. Accidentally sent an email meant for your wife to a client? Well… still restart, but maybe also apologise.

If only everything else in life came with a big glowing “Restart” button, the world would be a calmer, saner place. Until then, keep using the greatest question ever asked. And if something’s still not working after that?

Well, then it’s properly broken.

That’s when you call someone else.

When visitors land on your website, they make a snap judgement – usually in the first few seconds.

Before they’ve read a word, they’ve already formed an opinion about your business. The biggest factor in that first impression? Your imagery.

Photos have power. They tell your story faster than text ever can. And while it’s tempting to grab a few stock images and call it a day, real, personal photos of you and your business connect far more deeply with your audience.

Real Photos Build Trust

People like to know who they’re dealing with. If you’re a small business on the Tropical Coast, your customers probably live nearby. They want to see your shopfront, your staff, your ute, your products – not some polished stranger from a photo library.

When your photos are genuine, visitors can picture themselves doing business with you. That sense of trust and familiarity is impossible to achieve with stock imagery. A real photo of you smiling behind the counter will always beat a glossy model pretending to do the same.

Keep It On Brand

Your website photos should match your brand’s personality. A laid-back café might use bright, natural shots with warm tones. A professional service, like an accountant or consultant, might prefer clean, evenly lit images with crisp lines.

Before uploading, ask yourself: Does this image look like my business? If not, it’s out of place. Think about your colours too. If your website features cool blues and whites, a photo with a bright orange wall behind you might clash visually. Consistency keeps your site looking polished and intentional.

If you’re unsure, create a quick “style guide” for yourself – note your main brand colours, a few descriptive words for your vibe (e.g. “friendly”, “professional”, “local”), and use that as a filter for every photo you add.

Why Stock Photos Often Miss the Mark

Stock photography is everywhere, and visitors know it when they see it. The problem isn’t just that it’s generic – it’s that it feels impersonal.

When everyone in your industry is using the same library images, your brand disappears into the crowd. Worse still, many stock models appear on hundreds of websites around the world. You don’t want the same “handshake photo” or “smiling call centre worker” that your competitors use.

By showing real people, real locations, and real moments, you make your website unmistakably yours.

Taking Great Photos with Your Phone

You don’t need expensive gear to create beautiful, authentic images. Modern smartphones can capture excellent photos – you just need a bit of planning and an eye for detail.

Here are a few quick tips:

1. Orientation matters.
Before you take the shot, think about where it’ll go on your website. Landscape photos (wider than they are tall) work best for banners and sliders. Portrait shots are better for profile pages or social posts. Take both if you’re unsure – it’s always handy to have options.

2. Follow the rule of thirds.
Most phones have a grid option in the camera settings. Turn it on. Place your main subject where the grid lines intersect, rather than dead-centre. It makes the photo more balanced and pleasing to the eye.

3. Watch your lighting.
Natural light is your best friend. Try to shoot early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the sun is soft and golden. Avoid harsh midday light – it creates deep shadows and squinting faces. Indoors, stand near a window for even, flattering light.

4. Consider the weather.
If you’re photographing your business exterior or vehicles, pick a day with clear skies or interesting clouds. Overcast days are great too – they produce soft, even light without glare.

5. Keep it clean and focused.
Before snapping, tidy the scene. Remove clutter and distractions from the background so the viewer’s eye goes straight to the subject.

The Final Touch

Once you’ve got your shots, give them a quick edit – crop, straighten, and adjust brightness if needed. Then upload them at the right size for the web (so your site loads quickly).

Authentic imagery is one of the easiest ways to lift your website from “just another site” to something memorable and engaging. It’s worth the effort – because your visitors aren’t just looking at pictures. They’re deciding if they trust you.

Some people have started treating ChatGPT like it’s the oracle of all knowledge.

They think of it as Di Vinci, Wikipedia, and their Year 9 Science teacher all blended into one convenient search box. It can write emails for you, plan out your week, and even help you sound vaguely intelligent when you give business presentations.

I use AI all the time myself and have come to the realisation that by using it because it is at my fingertips, I am opting out my own brain – it makes things too easy. That’s got me thinking – if you let it do everything, what happens to your brain over time?

Will you eventually get to the point where you go from the guy  who “used to be really sharp” but now struggles to remember where the hell he put the remote for the TV.

Your brain needs to exercise

It needs to be trained, stretched, and occasionally challenged to keep it active. Leave it sitting around doing nothing like a teenager on TikTok and it goes flat. Thinking, reading, learning, memorising and writing are like the exercises you do at the gym but these ones are for your mind – keeping it limber and, most importantly, ready for whatever new challenge life might throw at you.

However, if you skip “brain day*” and outsource everything that is slightly challenging to ChatGPT, your brain will just sit there like a lump of uncooked cookie dough, waiting for someone else to preheat the oven.

* just like skipping “Leg day”…

Getting older? It helps to keep stirring the pot.

The older we get, we seem to think that we can coast on what we already know. But the brain, like an old pot of soup, needs stirring – or the good bits will sink to the bottom and the rest will go lumpy.

How do we stir the pot? Read new things. Learn a new skill. Argue with your friends about which decade had the best music. Join a theatre group (like I did 😊).  It doesn’t matter what you do, just as long as the activity you think! Numerous studies show that keeping your mind active helps delay cognitive decline. In plain English, it stops you from becoming that person who begin every sentence with, “Back in my day…”

AI never has and never will be human

ChatGPT can describe love, but it’s never experienced it. It can talk about fear, but it’s never had to open a rates notice from the Hinchinbrook Shire Council. It won’t get goosebumps with certain music from the 80’s and it definitely didn’t cry at the end of Toy Story 3 (admit it – you did).

But when YOU write or create something, you’re unconsciously mixing in all your lived experiences – your wins, your mistakes, your losses and your own peculiar way of seeing the world. That’s human. Ol’ ChatGPT can try to mimic it, but it’s like diet coke: sort of similar to the actual thing, but missing the real kick.

Try reading something by another human.

Scrolling through headlines, Reddit posts and AI summaries gives you the illusion of knowledge, but it’s all superficial. Real reading – the kind that makes you lose track of time –  forces your brain to connect ideas and build understanding. It’s mental weightlifting without the sweaty gym smell.

Help your brain by picking up a book, a newspaper, a magazine – anything with words longer than “lol.”

ChatGPT is a fantastic tool. Use it, enjoy it, learn from it. But remember that it is exactly that – a tool. Continue to do mental heavy lifting yourself – think, write, read, debate, question.

Because, in the end, your brain isn’t some dusty storage cupboard – it’s a unique marvel of the universe and the best piece of kit you’ll ever own. Keep it working, keep it curious, and for heaven’s sake, stop letting the bots have all the fun.

Footnote: I could’ve written this blog on ChatGPT in a fraction of the time it actually took me to type these words in. But, not only would that miss the whole point of the story, I always enjoy the challenge putting words to a page. It’s rewarding.

Right. You’ve got Google Analytics ticking away, and you know where your visitors are coming from.

Now comes the big question — what on earth are they doing once they land on your site?

Are they clicking? Reading? Buying? Or are they glancing at your homepage and leaving faster than Oscar Piastri down pit lane?

Let’s find out.

Engagement – Are People Actually Interested?

In the left-hand menu, click “Reports” → “Engagement.”
You’ll see a few useful options such as “Overview” and “Pages and screens.”

1. Overview

This gives you the broad picture — how many sessions, how long people stay, and how many pages they view.

• Engaged sessions: these are visits where someone actually does something — stays more than 10 seconds, views more than one page, or completes a goal.
• Average engagement time: the average time people spend paying attention before wandering off to look at cat videos.
• Events per session: the average number of clicks or actions a visitor takes.

If these numbers are tiny, your site might be about as exciting as watching paint dry. Try tightening your content, adding clear buttons, and using headlines that make sense.

2. Pages and Screens

Click “Pages and screens.” This shows you which pages people actually look at.

This is where you’ll spot:

• Which pages are popular (good news).
• Which pages people leave from (bad news).
• Which pages no one visits (probably buried or boring).

If your Contact Us or Shop pages aren’t in the top five, something’s not right. Maybe they’re hard to find. Maybe they’re uglier than a burnt meat pie. Either way — fix them.

Conversions – The “Did They Do What You Wanted?” Report

Scroll further down the left menu and choose “Engagement → Conversions.”

A conversion is any action you’ve decided is important — buying a product, submitting a form, signing up for a newsletter, downloading a brochure.

You can set these up by going to the Admin panel (bottom left gear icon) → Events → and toggling “Mark as conversion.”

Once that’s done, Analytics tracks every time someone completes that action.
Here’s how to use it:

• If you’re selling online, track “purchase.”
• If you’re generating leads, track “form_submit.”
• If you just want calls, track clicks on your phone number.

Check how many conversions happen per day or week. Then look back at your Acquisition report to see where those converting visitors came from.

If most conversions come from Google Search, fantastic — keep boosting SEO.
If they come from Facebook, invest more there.
If you’re paying for ads and conversions are zero… well, turn off the money hose.

Turning Numbers into Action

Engagement and conversions aren’t just nerd stats — they’re your steering wheel.

• High engagement but low conversions? People like browsing but can’t find the “Buy Now” button.
• Low engagement but some conversions? Your site’s working, but you’re scaring most visitors off too soon.
• Both low? It’s time for a full tune-up.

Regularly check these reports to keep your website humming. Treat them like dashboard dials in a car — ignore them and eventually something catches fire.

Analytics doesn’t just tell you how many people visit; it tells you what they do and whether it worked.

By keeping an eye on engagement and conversions, you’ll know which pages deserve the spotlight and which need a serious service.

And next time someone says, “I think our website’s doing fine,” you can look over your sunglasses and say, “I know exactly how it’s doing.”

So, you’ve finally set up Google Analytics and data is flowing in.

Congratulations — you’re now “spying” on your own website, legally. But staring at all those charts and menus feels like opening the cockpit of a jumbo jet.

Don’t worry — we’re not pressing every button. Just a few that actually tell you something useful.

Here’s how to find the reports that matter and what they mean for your small business.

Realtime – Who’s on My Site Right Now

This is the fun one.

In the menu on the left side of your Analytics screen, click “Reports”. Under that, select “Realtime.”

Why should you care? Because Realtime is like looking through your shop window. You can test what’s working straight away.

You’ll see a world map and a few counters flicking up and down. Each one represents a person currently on your website.

• Just posted something on Facebook?
• Sent an email newsletter?
• Launched a Google Ad?

Open Realtime and see if people are actually showing up. If the number stays at zero, either your campaign didn’t land, or the internet is broken. (It’s usually the first one.)

You can also see which pages people are on, where they’re from, and what device they’re using. Handy for checking if your mobile visitors are getting stuck somewhere awkward.

Audience → Demographics – Who Are These People, Anyway?

Now let’s find out who’s coming to your website.

Click “Reports” → “User” → “Demographics.”

Here you’ll find details like:

• Country and city of your visitors
• Age groups
• Gender
• Language settings on their device

If you’re a small business, this is gold. Let’s say you thought your customers were all 20-something tech geniuses — but your analytics says most are 45-year-old homeowners in North Queensland. That changes how you write your website copy, doesn’t it?

It’s also useful for advertising. If you see that most visitors are local, you can aim your Facebook or Google ads at those postcodes instead of wasting money showing ads to people in Sydney who will never visit your shop.

Acquisition – How Did They Find You?

Now click “Reports” → “Acquisition” → “Traffic acquisition.”

This report tells you where your visitors came from before they landed on your site. It’s basically your marketing scoreboard.

Here’s what you’ll see:

• Organic Search: People who found you by typing something into Google. This means your website’s showing up in search results — fantastic news.
• Direct: Visitors who typed your web address straight into their browser or used a bookmark. Usually loyal customers or people who know your business by name.
• Referral: People who clicked a link to your site from another website — maybe a local directory, a news article, or a partner business.
• Social: Clicks from Facebook, Instagram, or other social media sites.
• Paid Search: Visitors who arrived via your ads. If you’re paying for clicks, this tells you whether it’s working or just funding Google’s coffee machine.

Look at which source sends you the most traffic — that’s where your time and money should go. If “Organic Search” is leading the way, keep working on your SEO. If “Social” is booming, post more there. If “Paid Search” is flat… maybe turn off the tap.

These three reports — Realtime, Demographics, and Acquisition — are all you need to start understanding how your website is performing.

Think of them as your dashboard lights. They tell you if people are arriving, who they are, and how they got there. Once you know that, you can fine-tune your marketing, talk to the right people, and stop wasting time on the wrong channels.

Next up? Step 3 — where we dig into what visitors do once they arrive. Spoiler: that’s where the money is.

When people land on your website, they’re asking one silent question: Can I trust you?

And if you’re running a regional business, that trust matters even more. You don’t have the luxury of being a big-city brand with instant name recognition. Your customers often know you—or know someone who does—and that means your online presence has to reflect the same reliability and reputation you’ve built in your community.

So, how do you build that digital trust? Here are a few strategies to help your website prove that you’re the real deal.

1. Be a Thought Leader in Your Field

Trust starts with expertise. Use your website to show you know your stuff. A simple blog section where you share tips, explain industry updates, or offer how-to guides can go a long way. For example, if you’re an irrigation consultant, post articles about water-saving techniques or how to prep systems for dry season. If you’re a wedding celebrant, write about elopement trends or how to create a stress-free ceremony.

The goal isn’t to show off—it’s to help. People trust businesses that share useful advice without always pushing for a sale.

2. Show Proof with Case Studies

Nothing builds credibility like real-world results. A short, easy-to-read case study can show visitors exactly how you’ve helped others. Keep it simple:

• The client’s challenge
• What you did to solve it
• The outcome

You don’t need long reports or fancy jargon. A few clear sentences and good before-and-after photos can be enough to turn a casual browser into a believer.

3. Let Your Clients Do the Talking

If someone’s unsure about hiring you, a glowing testimonial can make all the difference. Sprinkle client quotes throughout your website—especially on your home, services, and contact pages.

Video testimonials are even better if you can get them. There’s something powerful about seeing a real person say, “They did an amazing job.” If you’re a local business, potential clients might even recognize the faces or names—that’s instant trust.

4. Display Your Credentials with Pride

Don’t hide your hard-earned qualifications. Certifications, memberships, and awards help people feel confident that you know what you’re doing. Whether it’s an industry accreditation, a safety certification, or even a “Proud Member of the Bowen Chamber of Commerce” badge—display it clearly on your site.

For regional businesses, community ties are gold. A simple “Locally Owned and Operated Since 1999” tagline or a section showing your involvement in local events adds authenticity that no national brand can fake.

5. Keep Everything Honest and Human

Trust also comes from tone. Skip the over-polished marketing speak and talk like a real person. Use clear, friendly language, honest photos (not stock images), and include details like your physical address and local phone number.

People want to feel they’re dealing with someone who’s approachable and genuine—just like they would if they walked into your shop or office.

Building trust online doesn’t happen overnight, but every little sign of credibility adds up. Keep your website helpful, honest, and human, and you’ll not only attract more visitors—you’ll turn them into loyal, long-term customers who know they can count on you.

Google Analytics can be very daunting for the first-time user.

Scratch that. I’ve been using Google Analytics for years and even I find all the data available to be a bit overwhelming – especially if you don’t know what you are looking for.

But before you can start reading the data and statistics streaming in from your website, it need to be connected correctly to the Google Analytics system.

This blog will look at Step One – how to get Google Analytics set up and collecting that data. This part is all about creating your GA4 property (the code that links the site to Google), installing the tag on your site, and confirming that data is flowing. Do this once, do it properly, and everything else you report on later – traffic, conversions, campaigns – will be accurate.

Here we go – Step by Step

1) Create your Google Analytics account

• Head to analytics.google.com and sign in with a Google account you are happy to use long term.
• Click Admin in the bottom left, then Create Account. Name it after your business so it is easy to recognise later.

2) Create a GA4 property

• In Admin, click Create Property. Name it something clear like “YourSite GA4”.
• Set the reporting time zone and currency. Get these right now – it keeps your numbers consistent with your shop and bank statements.

3) Add a Web Data Stream

• Choose Web as your platform, enter your website URL and a friendly stream name.
• Leave Enhanced measurement on. This automatically tracks page views, scrolls, site search, outbound link clicks and file downloads – a great starter kit without extra code.

4) Grab your Measurement ID

• You will see an ID that looks like G-XXXXXXX. This is the key you paste into your site so Analytics knows where to send data.

5) Install the GA4 tag on your website
Pick one method and stick with it:

• WordPress – simple plugin: Use Site Kit by Google or a lightweight GA plugin. Paste your Measurement ID when prompted and save. Avoid installing multiple analytics plugins – one is enough.
• Google Tag Manager: If you already use GTM, add a new GA4 Configuration tag with your Measurement ID and publish. GTM is ideal if you plan to track extra events later.
• Manual install: Add the global site tag (gtag.js) to the <head> of every page. Most themes let you add scripts in a header field.

6) Verify data is coming in

• Open Reports → Realtime in GA4.
• In another browser tab, visit your website and click around a couple of pages.
• You should see at least one active user show up within seconds. If not, clear caches, check you published your GTM container, and confirm you used the right Measurement ID.

7) Do three quick hygiene checks

• Exclude internal traffic: In Admin → Data Streams → Configure tag settings → Define internal traffic. Add your office IP so your own visits do not inflate reports.
• Site search: If your site has a search box, ensure the search query parameter is recognised in Enhanced measurement settings.
• Data retention: In Admin → Data settings → Data retention, set Event data retention to 14 months so explorations keep historical detail.

8) Share access properly

• In Admin → Access management, add team members with the right roles. Use “Viewer” for read-only, “Editor” for power users. Avoid sharing your personal login.

That is Step One done – you have a GA4 property, the tag installed, and verified data in Realtime. From here, everything else becomes easier: you can see which channels bring visitors, which pages perform best, and which actions count as conversions. Next Step, we will move on to defining your key conversions and building a simple weekly dashboard. But none of that matters without a clean setup – and you’ve just nailed it.

Spend five minutes chatting with any small business owner in a regional town and you’ll hear the same line: “Why would I bother selling online? I’ve already got loyal customers.”

It’s a fair question. But here’s the reality – that loyal base won’t stay the same forever. More and more people are switching to online shopping, and while your shopfront might feel steady today, the ground is shifting under your feet.

The choice isn’t about abandoning your shop; it’s about keeping pace with where your customers are heading and making sure they can still buy from you when they decide to shop online.

Your Customers Are Already Online

Here’s the harsh reality – your customers, even the loyal ones, are already scrolling through online shops at night while sitting in front of Netflix. They may love you, but if they see the same product online for the same price with free shipping, well… loyalty only goes so far.

An online store doesn’t replace your shop – it extends it. Think of it as leaving your doors open 24/7 without having to stand behind the counter all night. You’re giving people a way to buy from you when you’re closed, when it’s raining, or when they’ve just realised at 11pm that they’ve run out of printer ink.

Competing Against the City Giants

“Yeah but, mate, I can’t compete with big city prices.” True. But here’s something the big end of town doesn’t have – you. Your local knowledge, your customer service, your ability to say, “Hey, Dave, that thing you’re buying? It’s not the right one for your mower. Let me sort you out.” That personal touch translates beautifully online.

Write product descriptions that sound like you, not like a robot. Add a personal note in your parcels. Offer click-and-collect for locals. Suddenly, you’re not competing on price – you’re competing on experience. And you’ll win that race every day of the week.

The “Can’t Be Bothered” Excuse

Look, setting up online does take effort. But so did opening your shop in the first place. Did you throw your hands up and say “nah, can’t be bothered” when the doors, shelving, stock, and EFTPOS needed sorting? No. You rolled up your sleeves and got on with it.

Getting online is the same. Yes, there are a few moving parts – website, payment, shipping – but once it’s set up, it ticks over like the beer fridge at a backyard BBQ. And here’s the real kicker: every week you wait, another local customer finds someone else online and gives them the sale instead of you.

Bricks + Clicks = Future

The future isn’t either/or – it’s both. Keep your bricks. They’re brilliant for locals, walk-ins, and the community feel. But add clicks. That’s how you keep the sales rolling in when people are shopping at odd hours, or when they’d rather not make the drive into town.

In short: you don’t have to become Amazon. But if you don’t get online at all, you risk becoming Blockbuster Video – remembered fondly, but gone.

So, from bricks to clicks, the message is simple: give your customers the choice to shop the way they want, and you’ll keep them coming back – whether it’s down the street or through their screen.